Happy Nirday Phil!
by boogityboo
Summary: It's Phil's 16th Nirday and both he and Keely are struggling with their feelings for each other.
1. Chapter 1

I'll try to do a chapter per day if I have time. I hope everyone likes it.

Chapter 1

Keely stood in front of her locker waiting on Phil. He was never late to school. The bell would ring at any moment, and she had planned on giving Phil his Nirday present before class started. She stayed up late baking chocolate-chip cookies for her best friend, who, she had learned, had never eaten cookies that didn't come from a spray can. For her Nirday, Phil had prepared the greatest picnic a girl could ever dream of, complete with a smiley-face cake and lavender candles and flowers. Keely didn't know if she could top that, but the cookies seemed like fun and something he'd appreciate. After all, future boy had a Wizard, so every time he wanted a new shirt or a new CD or anything, all he had to do was punch a few buttons. _It's the thought that counts,_ she told herself. And Phil was all she ever thought about.

The bell rang, though, before Phil arrived, so Keely put the cookies back in her locker and walked down the crowded hall to her first class. She hoped he would make it in before her Morning Announcements. She really thought Owen did a terrible job with the camera. It shook all over the place if Phil wasn't there, and it was always out of focus. As she sat down in her desk in English, she was sad that Phil wasn't seated behind her. Starting the day without him made her feel off kilter. Something about his smiling face gave her the jolt she needed each morning. It was almost like she needed Phil in the mornings the way her mother needed coffee. _Is this how it will feel when he finally goes back to 2121? _She wondered._ I don't think I could take not seeing his smile…_But then the classroom door opened and a brown-haired boy poked his head in, his eyes scanning the room for Keely.

"Phil!" Keely yelled out loud, in spite of herself. "Happy Nirday!" She waved at him and he returned the wave with a lopsided grin and sparkling eyes. The rest of the class paid no attention to Keely and Phil; they were accustomed to their strange vocabulary. Most considered the duo's chatter to be some kind of couple-speak, although Phil and Keely were not officially a couple. Even Mr. Messerschmitt wanted something to happen between them. Perhaps if one made a move on the other one, he would have fewer disrupted classes.

"Miss Teslow, please refrain from your trademark sudden outbursts in my class," he said.

"Sorry, Mr. Messerschmitt," Keely said, and she glanced toward Phil and smiled.

"Mr. Diffy, are you going to stand at the door all morning, or are you going to grace us with your presence?"

"Uh, yeah, I'll come in…. Sorry I'm late," Phil said. He rushed through the door and sat in his regular seat behind Keely. As he passed her, he breathed in the flowery scent of her shampoo. It radiated off of her and nearly hypnotized him. Keely turned and smiled and touched his hand on the desktop softly. She mouthed "I got you something in my locker" silently. It was these little things that drove Phil nuts, what he dreamed of. The smell of her hair, the brush of her fingers on his. Her warm breath on his ear when she pulled him close to tell him a secret. The hot spot on his cheek from the only kiss she had ever given him in the hall by their lockers last year. He hadn't washed his face for five days afterward.

Phil gazed at the back of Keely's head and regretted all the wasted opportunities he'd had to tell her the truth about his feelings. On the tennis courts before the Pudding Machine disaster it had occurred to him. He'd chickened out when he thought his family was moving away—he didn't want to spill it to Keely and then leave her like that. Her heart was so fragile—he had known that since day one. And then the night when Keely had tried to get Grace and Grady together. The stars, the mood, the warm night. Everything was in place. He was sitting beside her in the backyard, when it really hit him full-thrust, how much he cared for her. Her profile in the lantern-light made him weak. She looked like an angel. How could he not have seized the moment then? All the other times flooded his heart and his mind. How many Skyak trips? The dance in the garage? He had an inkling she was expecting it that night, when he flipped off the light and held her hand. She looked at him like she could see his soul, and he could swear she was asking him to kiss her telepathically. But telepathy wouldn't be fully explored or taught in public schools until 2114. He had remembered that just in time and decided not to kiss her yet. He held her close, though, for the best slow dance of his life. _Diffy, you're sixteen years old. It's time to do something about Keely before it kills you._

"Phil?" Keely asked. She was collecting her books in her bag. The bell had rung.

"I'll tell her, I will. I just need time," Phil said.

"Tell who what?" Keely was standing over him now, waving her hand in front of his face. "Phil?"

"That I looooo…." He said.

Keely stared at him quizzically. "That you loooooo...? What?"

"Looooost…. my glasses," he recovered.

"You don't wear glasses, Phil," Keely said. A lock of blond hair fell into her eyes. She blew it off her face. Phil wished that lock of hair was him.

"Sunglasses. Can't find them anywhere," he said, flustered.

Phil threw his books into his backpack and stood. They walked out of class, Keely going on about his Nirday.

"—so then we'll have to stop by my house because my mother will die if she can't wish you happy sweet sixteen and I know Phil that it's a little girly to say sweet sixteen to a boy but I'm just so excited for us we're finally old enough to drive and how cool would it be if we got our licenses together we could take the test and everything and go anywhere we wanted and never have to ask for rides but don't think I'm gonna drive you around forever because I have my journalism career to think about and oh but we can always take the Skyak and oh my gosh I almost forgot about your present in my locker come on!" She grabbed his hand and jerked him down the hall. He would have let her drag him to the ends of the earth.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the good reviews. This is my first fanfic—I never realized how much work it was! I'm trying to reallybuild up some tension between P and K, so bear with me.Chapter 2is a little short, so maybe this afternoon I can do another one.

Chapter 2

Keely and Phil sat on the floor by their lockers eating the Nirday cookies.

"These are really great, Keel," Phil said.

"Well, I kinda feel like it's not enough," Keely said, "but I didn't know what else to do for the boy from the future who's got it all."

"It's perfect though. I mean, officially, I haven't even been born yet, so I'm lucky to get anything. You should have seen Pim's gift," Phil said, rolling his eyes.

Keely laughed. "I'm impressed she got you anything at all!"

Phil scratched his head. "Oh, she got me something all right. She got me fleas. When I woke up this morning, she was in my bedroom trying to steal my Wizard. Hers fell in the toilet last night and short-circuited. But when I tried to grab it from her, she managed to hit me with a Body Change ray and I turned into a dog."

"What kind?" Keely asked. "I love dogs!"

"I don't know. One with fleas," Phil said, still scratching, "That's why I was so late to class—Dad had to chase me around the yard before he could turn me back. I couldn't stop running. For some reason I kept thinking that he was trying to give me a bath."

"I wish I could have seen you! I would have rubbed your tummy!" said Keely. She paused a second realizing what she had said. _I just told Phil I would rub his tummy. I just told Phil I would rub his tummy? Great, Teslow. Just great. _

"Uh, Keel?" said Phil, "You're talking to yourself. . . . If I didn't know better, I would think you were Pim in a Keely suit."

"Oh, sorry. . . . That sounded a little weird. The tummy-rubbing thing. I mean, I'd rub any dog's tummy, and if you were a dog, I'd rub yours. I'm not saying I would rub your tummy as it now stands . . . in human form, you know," she pointed at his stomach. "That would be weird. I mean—" she broke off when Phil shoved a cookie in her mouth.

"It's okay, Keely," Phil said, grinning. "I'd rub your tummy, too."

_Teslow, get with the program,_ Keely told herself. _Rub his tummy? What are you thinking? This is not what you meant by telling him how you feel. This is idiotic. . . . Now he thinks you're a complete lunatic._ Keely glanced at her best friend, who was stuffing his face with cookies. Keely wondered what he thought of her, what he'd think of the two of them moving on to something besides "best friends." They'd come close to stepping over that line many times, but either the timing was off or Keely was only dreaming. _If he liked me,_ she thought, _wouldn't he have done something by now? Dancing in his garage that night, I could have sworn there was some kind of connection, not just a friendly one. I kept saying over and over in my head "Kiss me, Phil. Kiss me, Phil," and I really thought he was going to. He had that look in his eyes. Serious and scared and nervous and thrilled all at once, right? But maybe he didn't. Maybe I just imagined it. It's been two years. Something would have happened by now, especially after he got so jealous over Robby the robot that time._

Keely looked at Phil. He was rummaging through his backpack looking for the Wizard so he could spray-can a couple glasses of milk to wash down the cookies. She didn't want to scare him with her more-than-friends feelings. At heart, Keely was a traditional girl, and she thought that waiting on him to take it to the next level was the right thing to do. And Phil as a friend was better than no Phil at all. She could wait as long as it took. In the meantime, she'd give him all the signs she could. She didn't want to make a fool of herself, but that was getting harder to do every day. She could barely contain her feelings for Phil. Every chance she got, she would intentionally touch his hand while they walked to class. Last week she had even "accidentally" sat in his lap on the Diffys' couch while they worked on their algebra homework together. She told him she'd lost her balance. It couldn't have been more obvious to Keely, of course, and Phil had taken that opportunity to tickle her within an inch of her life.

The bell rang and Phil stood and held out his hand to help her up off the floor. He smiled, and she saw a little bit of chocolate on his bottom lip.

"Phil, you got something there," Keely said, and with her index finger, she wiped off his lips.

Phil was surprised, his eyes wide open, and when she touched him he nearly melted. _Diffy,_ he thought, _what are you going to do?_ It took everything he had not to grab her and kiss her on the spot. He clenched his teeth in desperation. _Not in front of the entire school Diffy! She doesn't know what she's doing to me. She has no idea. _

"Chocolate, yum," Keely said, her heart racing. _I can't believe myself sometimes,_ she thought, suddenly embarrassed. She stuck her finger in her mouth absentmindedly, blushing, tasting chocolate. _Come on Phil, can't you see? I'd never wipe chocolate from any other guy's lips. You're the one, Future Boy. The only one._ She looked at him and smiled. _He doesn't know what he's doing to me. He has no idea._


	3. Chapter 3

Okay Phil Fans, here's chapter 3. It's short, too, but I like where it ends. Chapter 4 will appear some time tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 3

"—Stay tuned Monday for my special undercover report on the boys' locker room shower fungus. Until then, I'm Keely Teslow. Have a great weekend, H. G. Wells!"

"That's a wrap!" Phil said, and Keely unclipped the microphone from her sweater.

"Phil! I meant to announce your sweet sixteenth Nirday!" Keely said, frowning.

"It's okay, Keel. Really, I'd rather spend it quietly, you know, below the radar," Phil said, winding up the camera cord. "We've got some plans, though, right? What did we decide to do again for this momentous occasion?"

"Phil, it's _your_ Nirday, so _you_ decided we'd fly to Italy on the Skyak and get a pizza!" she chirped excitedly, eyes flashing at the thought of flying over the Italian countryside with Phil.

"I don't know," said Phil. "I was thinking of something closer to home, more twenty-first century. As long as I'm here I should celebrate my Nirday—I mean, _birth_day—as normally as possible, don't you think?" Phil asked and winked at his best friend.

"Like what? Cake and ice cream?" asked Keely. She looked slightly disappointed.

"Yes! How original, Miss Teslow. I'd adore some old-fashioned cake and ice cream," Phil said. "And maybe that tummy rub you promised before?"

Keely blushed. "Phil, I—" she stammered.

"I'm only kidding, Keels," Phil assured her. "Why don't you come over to my house around 6:30? We can eat dinner, then we can do the birthday thing and sing that awful song you have this century and pin the tail on the horse."

"You mean donkey, Phil," Keely said, laughing.

"Right, donkey. Then the cake, the ice cream, and an exciting round of hanging out at the Diffy house. Maybe a little Skyaking around Pickford if the mood strikes us. What do you say?" Phil asked Keely.

"Of course, Phil. I wouldn't miss it," Keely said. "But now I gotta book to biology. See you after, 'kay?"

"Okay," Phil said, grinning. "Good luck on your quiz."

"Thanks. You want me to tell Owen and Via?" asked Keely.

"Well, I was hoping…." Phil said, looking at his shoes. _Come on, Diffy. Tell her. Tell her "just us." _"I was sort of hoping it would be just us…." He glanced back up at Keely. He couldn't read her expression. Was she confused? Angry? What was it? Her faced looked almost like she had bitten into something sour. _This can't be good,_ he thought, and closed his eyes, waiting for her response.

_Just us? He wants it to bejust us? Really? Oh my god!_ "Just us?" Keely squeaked. Then she looked at her shoes.

Phil panicked. _Oh no, I scared her. It's too sudden. It's too weird. Of course, not just us, Diffy. Stupid, stupid Diffy._ "And Barb and Lloyd and Pim?" Phil quickly added.

_Keely looked up. Why does "just us" scare me? I want it to be just us! What is your problem Teslow?_ Phil was smiling at her, but nervously. She thought she saw something in his face she recognized. Vulnerability. Was he as scared of this as she was?Was he worried he had said the wrong thing about Just Us? _But you haven't, Phil. It is what I want, but I don't know how to show you._ She took a deep breath. She hd to do something.

"Hey, Phil?" Keely asked him, whispering.

"Hey, Keel," Phil whispered back.

"Just us would be nice," Keely said, still whispering, butterflies the size of paper airplanes fluttering like mad inside her chest.

Phil smiled at her and exhaled loudly. Keely had the sudden urge to blow a kiss to her best friend at that moment, but as soon as she did it, the bell rang and he turned and ran out the door, late for class the second time that day. The kiss landed on his ear. _Well, I guess it's better than nothing,_ she thought as she followed him into the hallway. Then a voice shouted behind Keely.

"Miss Teslow!" She turned and saw Vice Principal Hackett standing there.

"Yes, Vice Principal Hackett?" she answered.

"Miss Teslow, I was very impressed with today's report on the vanishing pickles in the cafeteria. Thanks to you, the lunch lady responsible will never steal pickles in the Pickford City School District again!" said Hackett.

"Well, thanks," said Keely. "The story was all Phil Diffy's idea, though. I don't know where I'd be without him." She said this dreamily, a bit lost in her thoughts.

"Well, Miss Teslow, Diffy might have brains, but the kid's got no charisma. You, on the other hand, would make a prime addition to the H.G. Wells Reporterama team," said Hackett.

"Are you serious?" shouted Keely. She jumped up and down. "Golly! Me? Little old me? On the Reporterama team? I'd love to join!"

"Well, then, our first meeting is tonight. I'll introduce you to the team and you'll be fitted for your uniform. Be in the Broadcast Lab at 6:30 sharp," Hackett said.

"Six thirty?" asked Keely. "But Mr. Hackett, I can't meet tonight. It's a friend's—it's Phil's birthday. I promised him I'd be there."

"Well, Miss Teslow, there comes a time in every young reporter's life when he or she has to choose between what is important for her potential career and what isn't. If you can't be there at 6:30 tonight, then I'm afraid we don't have space for you on the team. I expect 100 from all Reporterama team members." Then he strolled off toward his office, leaving Keely standing in the empty hall alone.


	4. Chapter 4

Hi Phil Fans. Thanks for all of your excellent reviews on the first 3 chapters. It hasn't been that long since I felt like Keely does, so I just tried to write what I would be thinking if I were her. And Phil? Well, I can't pretend to know what guys think, but I just took a shot at it. Oh, and btw, I don't own anything Phil-of-the-Future related. Forgot to say that.

Chapter 4

Phil could hardly concentrate during history class. He had better things to think about than the Battle of Gettysburg. _Just us,_ he thought. _Just us. Just us. Me and Keely. Keely and me. Phil and Keely. Keely and Phil. Just us. For my birthday._ Phil couldn't believe his luck. Most of his birthdays had been pretty average, some downright rotten. This was one was sure to be a milestone. But, while his head was swimming with plans, he was still a little worried. Could he call this "Just Us" event a date? It did seem a little strange—it was Keely, after all. He had been out with her tons of times before, just the two of them, and it hadn't been considered anything more than a couple of pals enjoying ice cream or tennis or wandering around the mall together. They were best friends—being alone together came with the territory. It had never been awkward before, but Phil was worried that now it would be. Some sort of line had been crossed, he knew, and he wasn't sure exactly how to react_. Should I just be the same old adorable best-friend Phil? _he wondered._ But now, if I touch her, it means something. Or if she gives me one of those bear hugs, it means something. Just looking at her means something. Right?_ The old fear was creeping back into Phil's stomach. He knew came lunch time he wouldn't be able to eat a thing. Especially not with Keely there.

Meanwhile, Keely was trying to focus on her biology quiz. However, all thoughts swiftly came back to trying to decide about the Reporterama team. Being on the team would provide great experience, not to mention the fact it would look awesome on a college application. But of all the nights for it to meet, why on earth did it have to be today, Phil's sixteenth birthday? _And this isn't just a regular evening with Phil. This is the first official "Just Us" night with Phil._ Keely was hesitant to call it a date, at least for now. _Maybe we can celebrate his birthday tomorrow night?_ She thought. _It could still be just us. Only a day later. The day after his birthday. He won't mind, will he?_ But deep down, Keely felt terrible. But she didn't see any way around it. Reporterama could be a ticket to a career in broadcasting, her dream job. And Phil would have other birthdays.

After she turned in her quiz (she could only answer half the questions, even though she had studied hard for it), Keely headed toward the cafeteria. She knew there was only one thing to do: tell Phil about Reporterama. First and foremost, Phil was her friend. He would help her do the right thing.

Phil got to lunch first, and sat down at their regular table. Pim walked up with her lunch tray piled high with chocolate pudding.

"What's with the pudding, Pim?" Phil asked his sister.

"Don't worry about it, Diffy" Pim said. "Let's just say I have a score to settle with a certain Fashion Zombie whose name starts with Can and ends in Dida. By the way, kid, I heard about your exclusive birthday party for two with Blondie."

"How'd you hear about that?" asked Phil. "We only decided an hour ago."

"I have my ways, Diffy," Pim said. "For what it's worth, I'm thrilled you two are celebrating all alone this year. One less family-oriented event I have to be a part of." Pim glanced around the room. "Where is your little squeeze toy, anyways?"

"I don't know," Phil said. "She had a biology quiz, so maybe she's still working on it. I hope she did okay. She studied pretty hard."

"I hope she hasn't already dumped you, Diffy," Pim said, laughing. "I need to get back to work." Then she was off in search of her nemesis.

Phil thought a moment of chocolate-covered Fashion Zombies, laughing. As long as he wasn't the victim of all her schemes, Pim was pretty entertaining. Heglanced up at the door just in time to see Keely walking through, looking troubled, but to him, beautiful. She had on a green sweater and a pencil stuck behind her ear. He loved when she did that. Sometimes she'd forget she put the pencil there, and he'd let her search for it frantically before he told her where it was. And green. Green was her best color. He must have been grinning like a madman when Keely sat down.

"Uh, Phil?" she asked. "You okay? If you don't watch it, your face will stick that way. I knew a girl."

"Oh, I'm just working out my face muscles. You know, for the Face Olympics. Gotta have strong cheeks," Phil said. _Where do I come up with this stuff?_ he thought to himself.

"Well, when you're done working out, can we talk for a second?" Keely asked. _Gosh he's cute,_ she thought. _Look at him. That smile is to die for._

"Sure. Hit me," said Phil.

"Well, Phil," Keely started, flailing her hands around in the air, "it's like this. After Morning Report right after we had decided on Just Us for your Nirday and the kiss hit your ear and you left the room and I was right behind you late for the quiz and Mr. Hackett stopped me in the hallway—"

"Keel, slow down," said Phil. He covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes like saucers. "Take a big breath and start over. Slowly this time. I can't understand a thing you're saying." He removed his hand.

"Phil, Mr. Hackett invited me to be on the Reporterama team," Keely said.

"That's great, Keel! Yay! All your hard work's paid off! It was the pickles, wasn't it? I knew Hackett would love the pickle story," Phil said. But Keely looked like she was about to cry. "This is a good thing, right? Keely?"

"No, Phil. Yes. No. I mean, no it's not a good thing. It is, but it isn't." said Keely. _He's going to kill me,_ she thought. _Why do I have to be a reporter? Maybe I should do something else. Shuffleboard. That team doesn't meet tonight. Chess club? Jello wrestling? _

"Why?" asked Phil.

"Because, Phil. The team meets tonight. At 6:30. Hackett won't let me on the team if I don't show up," Keely said. She looked deep into his eyes. He was hurt.

"Tonight?" asked Phil.

"Tonight," said Keely. _Why am I doing this to him? I should be happy. It's Reporterama. Everything I ever wanted. Why do I feel so horrible?_

"Well, uh, I," Phil started. "I mean, it's no big deal. Don't worry about it. You have to go, Keel. This is important for you. It's fine. Go. Go to Reporterama. I'll have other birthdays. Really. Go." Phil grabbed his lunch tray and stood. He didn't want to look at her. It hurt too much. _Ten minutes ago I was the luckiest man on earth. I knew it wouldn't last. You have to let her do this, Diffy. It's all she ever talks about. Face it, you just can't compete with Reporterama. You want her to be happy, right? The let her do this. _"I'll see you later then."

Phil left Keely at the table. He wanted to be alone. As Keely watched him walk away she wondered if she'd ever have a second chance with Phil. _He'll probably give up on me,_ she thought. _Bear with me. I'm all yours as soon as I can be._

"Please Phil, don't give up," she whispered to herself. She had to think of a way to make this right.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi Phil Fans. I took the weekend off from writing. It's just been too cold. But today's an ice day, so I finally got chapter 5 written. No idea how long this thing will be. Probably just a few more chaps. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 5

The rest of the day was, for Phil, the worst he he'd had in the twenty-first century. He was becoming increasingly angry over his ruined birthday plans. During math class, he lost his temper and threw his pen at the wall. Vice Principal Hackett nearly sent Phil to detention, but at the last minute had become distracted by a group of chocolate-pudding-covered girls running through the hallway.

_It is my birthday, after all,_ he thought, ramming his math book into his locker so hard it left a dent. _Keely should want to spend time with me today. She should sacrifice Reporterama for me. I'd do it for her._ But as always, Phil's conscience got the better of him. _Diffy, remember when you thought the time machine was fixed and you'd had to break dates with Keely? Does the Ladies' Choice dance ring any bells? And that wasn't for some school meeting—that was going back to the future. Remember how sad she had been and how you had to convince her to trust you and live for the precious time you had together?_ _She had understood._

"But that was when we were just friends! Now we're . . . whatever we are . . . something else. And it's different," Phil answered, out loud this time, startling a couple of students nearby who stared at him.

"What are _you_ looking at?" she shouted at them, irritated, before stomping off to his next class, hoping to avoid Keely in the hallway.

Keely sat in study hall feeling miserable. _I always have such bad luck with guys,_ she thought. _First the Tanner fiasco, then that terrible football banquet with Bruno, the Ladies' Choice mess with Owen, then the future mall thing with Robby the robot . . . . It's just too much._ But her mind kept coming back to Phil. Phil was the only boy she had ever felt 100 percent comfortable with, but it had never progressed into anything but regular friendliness. Pals. Buddies. Chums. If Phil put his arm around her shoulders, she never shook it off—but now how would that work? _Maybe Reporterama is for the best,_ she thought. _Maybe dating Phil isn't such a good idea. If it feels weird, we could never go back to best friends. I would miss him so much._ Then _her_ conscience took over. _Keely, Keely, Keely_—my conscience sounds just like Phil, she thought—_Don't deny it. You're crazy about the boy, but what you're afraid of is Phil someday having to leave. You don't want to have to deal with that inevitability. You don't want to have to go through the heartbreak. Keely, remember that it's better to love for a little while than to never love at all._

She knew this was true, but she still didn't know what to do about Hackett's Reporterama team. _Is it really that important?_ She asked herself. _Worth potentially ruining this "thing" with Phil?_ Keely knew deep down that maybe she was using the Reporterama meeting to hide from Phil. _Keely, face it, do you want this boy? This absolutely amazing, wonderful, adorable boy who's do anything for you? Even if it's only for a little while? Or do you want to live the rest of your life always wondering about what could have been?_

After school, Phil went straight home and to his room to suffer privately. Eventually, his mother went upstairs to check on him.

"Phil?" Barb asked. "Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine, Mom," he said from underneath his pillow. Barb, however, wasn't convinced. She opened the door and saw her son huddled in his bed.

"Don't you have special plans with Keely tonight?" she asked.

"No. I don't. And how did you know about that anyway?" he asked.

"Well, your sister might have mentioned it," Barb said. "What happened between you and Keely, sweetheart?"

Phil sat up. "Mom, I just don't get girls. If you think one likes you, you know, more than a firned, and you ask her to do something, you know, in a 'just us' way, and she says that would be nice, then gets invited to join an elite reporting team at school and can't do the 'just us' activity anymore, is it okay to be angry? I mean, I should _want_ her to do Reporterama, right? I should _want_ her to take this opportunity."

"Well, sweetie, I think that you do want Keely to do what makes her happy because you feel so strongly for her. But it's only natural to be disappointed. Imagine how terrible Keely must feel. She had to cancel 'just us' Nirday plans with her best friend. Have you ever thought, Phil, how difficult this must be for her? She has no idea when you miught pack up and leave her. Maybe she's just trying to look out for herself. You know, son, timing is everything. Just because _today_ is your Nirday doesn't mean _something_ can't happen between you two tomorrow. Give her time. I think she'll come around."

Barb hugged him then went back downstairs. Phil just sat there, considering what his mom had said. After a few minutes, Lloyd came upstairs.

"Phil? Your mom and Pim and I are going to try to have ourselves an old-fashioned twenty-first-century barbecue out in the backyard," said Phil's dad. "You in?"

"Pim agreed to something family friendly?" Phil asked.

"Well only because I told her it involved fire and promised she could light the matches," Lloyd said, nervously. "I'm starting to think I will come to regret that promise."

"I'll be down in a minute, Dad," Phil said. He was beginning to feel better. At least he didn't feel like pounding the wall anymore. Whatever happened, he was lucky to have his family, he figured, even Pim. By any century's standards, the Diffys were all right. Now he had to focus on Keely.

"Keely," Phil whispered after Lloyd left, "Don't give up on us now. Maybe I'll never have to leave. Please take a chance on me. On us."


	6. Chapter 6

HI Phil fans. This one is short. But, I think the next chapter will wrap it up. I needed some kind of transition. This is it for today, however. I have a lot of school work to get to. Sort of been slacking off. Look for the resolution to Happy NIrday Phil in the next couple days. Thanks for reading! And thanks for all of the really nice comments. I wish I had you guys in my creative writing class.

Chapter 6

At 6:15, Keely grabbed her jacket, said goodbye to her mom, and stepped out into the twilight. H.G. Wells was only a couple of blocks, and even though it was chilly, she wanted to walk. She couldn't suppress the flutter in her heart. _Is this what it feels like? Love?_ She wondered. _All the songs I've heard about love and all the girls I've seen who fall in love in movies---none of that could have prepared me for this feeling._ As good as love felt, Keely also thought she might be sick at any moment. There was something about putting her heart out there for the taking that still scared her. But she had to take the plunge. And it had to be with Phil---there could never be anyone else. When she looked into Phil's eyes she saw herself in him. He was her soulmate.

However, Keely was still worried. She had made up her mind, but what if Phil was mad at her? He had avoided her all afternoon since they talked at lunch. He hadn't waited to walk her home from school. In fact, Keely couldn't remember a single time when they hadn't walked home together. She always went to Phil's after school. This afternoon, though, when she passed his house, she didn't stop. She knew she had hurt his feelings, and shehadn't known how to fix that. Until now.

At the Diffys' house Phil was helping his mom in the kitchen. He stood at the window watching Pim light what seemed like at least ten thousand matches with her Wizard. As soon as she lit one, she let it burn until it almost touched her fingers, then she blew it out and tossed it to Curtis, who caught it in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed it. Lloyd was reading the directions on a bag of charcoal. The barbecue grill had been used, until today, as a magazine rack, and was now piled high with the charcoal. Phil couldn't believe---with the exception Curtis eating matchsticks---how ordinary the whole scene appeared.

All the food had been prepared the old-fashioned way, but since it was Phil's Nirday, Barb had Wizarded him a cake. She didn't want to risk ruining any more aspects of his not-so-perfect Nirday.

"Phil, what time is it?" Barb asked.

Phil looked at his watch. "Six fifteen," he said and sighed. Keely was probably on her way to H.G. Wells for her Reporterama meeting. But Phil wasn't angry anymore. He was sad. He missed her. His birthday didn't feel right without her there to celebrate. Best friend or girlfriend, it didn't matter. He just wanted Keely right there. By his side. "Why?"

"Well, you were born at exactly 6:40 on this day 2105. Or, I guess I should say you _will_ be born on this day in 2105. So we must be celebrating your Nearly Nirday, then. I don't know. . . ." she trailed off.

"Yeah, I don't know what you'd call it, either," Phil said, rolling his eyes and turning from the window to face Barb. "Maybe the right word is disaster."

"Oh, Phil. I wish there was something I could do. Is there? What could I do to make you feel better?" Barb asked, taking the cake from it's box. A Laser Squash ball made out of red frosting levitated over the cake. It was from 2121, after all.

"I don't know, Mom," Phil said. _Go to the school and convince Keely to drop out of Reporterama?_

"Well, honey if there's anything at all, all you have to do is ask," Barb said.

Suddenly Phil had an idea. His whole face lit up at the thought of it. _Exactly! Go to the school!_ If Keely couldn't come over for his birthday party, then he would have to bring his birthday to her.

"Mom? Mind if I borrow a couple of things? The Skyak and that Nirday cake?" Phil asked, grinning.

"Anything for my Nirday boy," Bard said.

Phil put the cake back into its box, grabbed the Skyak ball from the shelf, and ran out the back door.

"Dad, I'm taking the Skyak, okay?" Phil yelled to his dad, who was pouring more charcoal into the grill.

"Sure, son. When will you be back, though? I might need more lighter fluid," Lloyd called.

"Well, Dad, hopefully not for a while," Phil said. He couldn't stop smiling. Then he threw out the Skyak ball, placed the cake underneath the seat, climbed on, and zoomed away toward H.G. Wells. Even Pim, who watched him go, hoped her brother would finally get the girl.


	7. Chapter 7

Here's the next-to-last chapter of Happy Nirday Phil. I've written the last one, but it needs some tinkering. Hopefully I'll have it up tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Next-to-Last Chapter

When Keely reached H.G. Wells, she went straight to the Broadcast Lab. Vice Principal Hackett and the other students on the Reporterama team were already there.

"Ah, Miss Teslow. I'm glad you decided to join us," Hackett said. "Team, this is Miss Teslow. I think all of you know her from her splendid Pickle Heist story this morning."

"Hi, Miss Teslow," the team said in unison. Keely thought it was a little creepy.

"Uh, hi team," said Keely. "But, Vice Principle Hackett, there's something I need to tell you. I actually came tonight to tell you that I _won't _be joining Reporterama after all."

"Miss Teslow! Didn't anything I said to you this morning make it inside your pretty little head?" Hackett asked her.

"Well, yes, Mr. Hackett. It did," Keely said. "You told me that there's a point in everyone's life where they have to make big decisions about what's important for the future. And I thought about it all day. I do want to be a broadcast journalist. Someday. And I do need to make that a priority. But…"

"But what, Miss Teslow?" Hackett asked.

"But, Mr. Hackett, today I realized something more about what I want in my life. And there are people, _certain people,_ who I want in my life. And if I don't take some chances now on those certain people, a certain _person,_ I might live to regret it. Because that chance won't be around forever. And I have to act fast. I'm only sixteen, Mr. Hackett. I have the rest of my life to be a reporter. Maybe next year, if your offer is still good, I can join the Reporterama team. But for now, there's something—some_one, _actually—that I need to focus on. Someone who means more to me that any career ever will."

Hackett and the rest of the team were silent. No one had ever turned down the chance to join Reporterama. They were flabbergasted. Then Keely turned around and walked out, her heart swelling with nerves and love. As she walked into the hallway, she heard a familiar voice.

"Keely?" the voice called. The hallway was dark and she could barely make out the figure of a boy running toward her with a box in his hands.

"Phil? Is it you?" Keely called.

"Hey! Yeah." Phil ran up to her, out of breath.

"I was coming to see you Phil. I'm so sorry I ruined your birthday. I really am," Keely said. She looked down at the floor.

"You were coming to see me?" Phil asked, grinning. "I was coming to see you!"

"Really?" Keely said, looking back up at her best friend.

"I couldn't celebrate my birthday without you there, Keel. So I brought my cake and everything," Phil said. He opened the lid of the cake box and the Laser Squash ball floated out.

"Is that a Laser Squash ball made of icing?" Keely asked.

"Yep," said Phil.

"Is that cake chocolate?" asked Keely.

"Of course!" said Phil.

"So what are we waiting for?" asked Keely.

"I don't know! Let's eat!" said Phil.

Phil and Keely walked out of the school and across the street to the Pickford Park. They found a picnic table and sat down side by side. Phil put the cake on the table and lit the candles with the Wizard.

Then Phil turned to Keely. Her faced glowed in the flickering light of the cake. He reached out and moved a strand of hair from her eyes andtucked it behind her ear.

"So, what's a boy have to do to get a pretty girl to sing 'Happy Birthday' to him?" he asked her softly.

"He has to tell her a secret, " Keely said, smiling.

Phil swallowed hard. This was it. This was the opportunity he'd hoped for. Everything was right. "Are you sure?" he asked her.

"I'm sure, Phil," Keely said. "Out with it."

"Okay. Here it goes," he said. "Keely, I. . . ." he looked at her and struggled for the courage. When he met her eyes, still dancing with firelight, he knew he could do it. "Keely, I fell in love with you. I'm not sure when. But I did. I fell in love with you."


	8. Chapter 8

Hi Phil fans. Here's the last chapter. I hope you like where it ends. Thanks for reading and thanks for all of your kind words!

Last Chapter

Keely didn't say a word, but she stared at him intensely. Phil tookher silenceas a sign that he needed to explain. His heart was racing, but he was desperate for her to know.

"I didn't expect this to happen, Keel. I really didn't. But when it happened I let it, and even though I thought it might be risky I wanted it more than anything. But, gosh, at the same time I just didn't want to do anything stupid. I didn't want you to think I was, you know, a doofus," Phil said.

Keely felt like this was all a dream. It was almost like she was watching someone else's life, not hers. She couldn't believe that he felt so strongly—she had thought for so long that she was the one with all the feelings. She wanted to reach across the space between them and melt in his arms. But Phil seemed to be on a roll, so she thought she should let him go on, get it off his chest. No one had ever said such wonderful things to her before. So she smiled at him, to let him know she was glad he felt the way he did. He was beginning to look nervous. "Well, duh, of course you're a doofus, Phil." Then she reached out and looped a finger around a button on his shirt, pulling him toward her a few inches.

Phil let out a breath. "Gosh I'm glad you finally said something," he said. "I was worried I had messed up big time and read everything the wrong way—"

"No, I, Phil—I'm just so happy," Keely said. "I guess I was just, I don't know, knocked out by this."

"Me too. It's crazy," Phil said. "For a while I didn't know how you felt. I mean, there were these little moments where you'd look at me and there would be something in your eyes or your smile and I kind of thought maybe just maybe there's a connection, but then I didn't know for sure. And I didn't want to mess up the regular stuff by blabbing about my feelings."

"Aw, Phil." Keely looked straight into his eyes. Phil's forehead was wrinkled up still. Like he was thinking hard about Algebra.

"I guess I was afraid you'd be like 'What the heck are you saying, Phil?'" and you'd feel funny about it and we couldn't be how we are now, you know, which is completely comfortable. And it was worth not telling you just so I could have you at least for a friend. Does that make any sense? 'Cause when I say it out loud it doesn't sound like it makes any sense. . . . You have no idea what you do to me, Keely. Really. You drive me nuts."

"Drive you nuts? How's that?" she said, jamming her index finger into a glob of cake icing and licking it off.

Phil put his hands on her shoulders, and turned her toward him. "Well, I can't concentrate when you're there for one thing." He laughed. "I want to do everything with you. I want to experience everything with you. I love the way you smell. How soft your hands are. How good it feels when you hug me like that. The way your hair falls in your eyes. When you're not there I miss you. We did this thing right. We got to know each other in a regular friends way. But I was prepared, if you didn't feel the same. I knew that I was still the luckiest guy in the world because I got to know you. And be your friend. Really, Keel. When I think of all the towns in the world where that time machine could have broken down and all the people I could have met . . . We landed here. And I found you."

"Golly," Keely said, her eyes like saucers.

"That's right. Golly. And so now I've got to do something because I've been agonizing over it for longer than you can imagine," he said. Phil's face was serious and vulnerable and happy at once. He hesitated for a second, staring into her eyes.

"What, Phil?" Keely said, a little anxiously.

And just as the words left her lips, Phil Diffy held his breath, shut his eyes, and kissed Keely Teslow. The kiss was timid at first—their noses bumped and Phil's hands didn't know where to go, but finally they slid down around her waist and pulled her close to him and he relaxed a little. At one point, Phil opened his eyes as if he had to see it to believe it. And Keely did too. But the whole time, Phil felt as if someone were pouring warm water over his head. Keely's lips tasted like the cake frosting. He grinned when he recognized it and their teeth bumped together. "You taste like birthday cake," he whispered.

"Phil!" Keely said, giggling. "Stop smiling! It's really hard to kiss you while you're smiling like that."

"Did you just say it? You're kissing me? Phil and Keely are kissing." Phil glanced around the deserted park and shouted, "Look everyone, Phil's kissing Keely!" He kissed her again. "Keely you have no idea what a thrill this is. I mean—there's just—nothing I can say, no words. I can't even tell you how I feel. I can't believe this is happening!" Phil shook his head and stood up, pacing in front of the picnic table, waving his arms. "I bet I really sound like a doofus now, don't I? Keel, did you know that you had this . . . something . . . that could make me feel so incredible? Did you know," Phil said, grinning again and turning toward her, "that I almost kissed you in our garage that night after the dance?"

"No . . . but I kind of wanted you to," she said, blushing.

"Well, I really did. But I lost my nerve big time. Not a lot of experience, Keel. Believe it or not, in the future, Phil Diffy's not much of a ladies' man. Something about you twenty-first-century girls, though, brings out the adorable in me—"

"Phil I wanted it to be you," Keely broke in, tears—happy ones—welling up inside her eyes."I wanted you to be the boy who fell in love with me as hard as I had fallen in love with you," she said. Phil smiled so big his face hurt, and he leaned toward her to wipe her tears with the sleeve of his shirt. "But I was afraid. I don't know why exactly…and I'd try to talk myself out of it because I never knew when you might leave and I knew it would make me so sad… but then I just couldn't deny it anymore. I would do the weirdest things like accidentally touch your hand on purpose or lean in a little closer than I needed to tell you something. I'd make up reasons to meet you at your locker or call you. Did you ever pick up on it?" She smiled, the tears sparkling.

"I thought so, but then I kept thinking, 'Diffy, it's just a coincidence . . . she's a girl, girls are like that and she's Keely. She could have any guy in the world,' and I just didn't see how I could be the one you wanted," Phil said.

"I didn't know what else to do," Keely said, shrugging.

"Why don't people just say it?" Phil asked no one in particular. "How come we danced around it like that?"

"I don't know, Phil." Then Keely stood and hugged him. One of her old bear hugs. But this one was different. Phil wouldn't let her go. He breathed in that scent he loved so much, that nearly intoxicated him. She giggled into his ear. "Phil can you believe this? It's us. It's you and me. Together."

He leaned his head back to look at her, smiling. "Come on. Let's book."

"Where?" Keely said.

"It's still my birthday. And I've got the Skyak," Phil said. "Anywhere you want."

"Actually, Phil, I have some other plans," Keely said, a little bit mysteriously.

"Really?" said Phil.

"What about we take a long walk back to your house and then watch scary movies all night?" Keely said, grinning.

An image of Keely in his arms, burying her face in his chest while a scary movie played, flashed through his mind, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Anything to be close you," Phil said.

"Ooh, great! I got the cake," Keely said, picking up the box. The candles had melted all the way down by now.

"And I got the girl," Phil said to himself. He took her free hand in his, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. Then they walked down the dark street toward the Diffys' house, hands entwined. A perfect match.

The End.


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